Chapter 26: The Filial Piety Reward
“Sunbae!”
In the cafe.
When he looked up, Yeon-hui was glaring at him with eyes like a flounder.
“Are you listening to what I’m saying?”
“Ah, I am.”
“Liar. You’re looking at your phone like there’s something fun right in front of me!”
He smiled wryly and showed his smartphone screen.
“Money came in.”
“Money?”
Instantly, Yeon-hui’s eyes sparkled.
Who wouldn’t change their tune when money is mentioned.
“It’s nothing special. I appeared on a live streaming for baduk-related content. That’s why the appearance fee came in.”
“Really? How much?”
“Thirty million per appearance. And apparently, additional payment based on views later.”
“……Wow. You’re a full-fledged celebrity now.”
Yeon-hui muttered with a dazed expression.
‘I was surprised too.’
It was Jang Yu-na 2-dan who first proposed it.
‘The viewer reactions for content related to Mumyeong were good.’
Even though only the first and second episodes were up, the view count on Naver View was quite high.
Especially, the reactions from the Chinese platform side were not insignificant.
Thanks to that.
The baduk players from the Korea Baduk Association who watched the streaming yesterday first expressed interest in a match.
Thanks to that, I was able to save on the appearance fee.
I decided to ask for more compensation.
‘I have nothing to complain about.’
Earning money.
Arranging matches with professional baduk players.
It was like getting something for nothing.
‘……Since I received it in a virtual account, there’s nothing to worry about being discovered.’
Online and offline.
Still.
She was still drawing a line.
“Hmm. Hmm.”
Yeon-hui rested her chin on her hand, her eyes half-closed as she looked at him.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just thinking. I wondered what happened after you graduated from university.”
“Me?”
There are no particularly good memories.
Failed job hunting.
Failed again.
Failed again, so I started as a bank security guard.
But.
It didn’t seem like that was how Yeon-hui saw it.
“Honestly, tell me, sunbae.”
“What?”
“Baduk is your main job, and security is your side job, right?”
“What nonsense is that?”
“Right? It doesn’t make sense. But why does it make sense when I look at you, sunbae?”
“……”
He couldn’t refute Yeon-hui’s question.
Main job and side job.
As the side job’s proportion increased, its impact on his life grew.
Soon.
‘It would swallow me up.’
A pleasant reversal.
Whether it would happen someday or not.
He hoped it would come soon.
“Eh? Wait a minute. Sunbae. Stay like that. Your expression looks good right now.”
Yeon-hui turned in a circle, set up the camera, and crossed her arms.
The warm touch transmitted through her arms.
Even if he tried not to notice, he couldn’t ignore it.
Click.
Yeon-hui, having uncrossed her arms, looked at the photo and smiled.
“Oh, it came out well.”
“Why a front-facing photo? You can’t post this.”
“Why not? Just blur the face and post it.”
Yeon-hui smiled brightly and returned to her seat.
He sipped the iced coffee and put it down.
“Section Chief Ha has been quiet lately?”
“Yeah, but…… you can’t be too relaxed. That guy is persistent.”
He nodded.
Between them, there was an implicit understanding.
“By the way, did you apply to Ciel Bank?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“I hope it goes well, sunbae.”
“If it does, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“Not food, but photos!”
Yeon-hui said with sparkling eyes.
“Are you going to a tournament this weekend too? Can I drive you?”
“The tournament is big, but…… it’s a tournament I’m going alone.”
“Alone?”
“Yeah. There’s a pro tournament prelim at the Korea Baduk Association. I’m going as the amateur representative.”
Yeon-hui blinked twice.
Her face was dumbfounded.
“Sunbae, are you going to become a real pro baduk player?”
“Well.”
He gave a vague smile.
He hadn’t not thought about being a pro.
But.
He didn’t want to blurt it out.
He didn’t want to be seen as an unreliable person.
“Wait a second.”
Yeon-hui took out her smartphone and started searching something.
“Wow…… The top prize for pro baduk players last year was 200 million?”
“Hey, that’s world-class talk.”
“Sunbae, let’s do it.”
“What?”
“World champion. I’ll be your manager!”
Instantly, he was dumbfounded.
“Where’s a manager for baduk.”
“Then a girlfriend?”
“……Are you serious?”
“I am serious, right?”
Laughter spilled out between them.
“Anyway, weekend is tough.”
“Kawaii.”
With that, they finished the conversation in a pleasant atmosphere.
And they parted ways.
In the bus.
On the way home.
After spending time with Yeon-hui for once, he felt refreshed.
However.
His mind was soon filled with baduk.
‘I need to reduce the disadvantage in the early opening.’
Except for the match against Ahn Seong-hyun 7-dan.
Most of the time, he hadn’t been able to seize the initiative in the early opening.
Simple joseki.
From there, the derived opening patterns.
‘These are things I don’t have in my memory.’
In other words.
Isn’t it that the AI’s moves are not included in the area of my talent?
‘I need to study artificial intelligence baduk.’
Pro baduk is thoroughly trained based on AI.
If I just relied on my talent and played, I might collapse in an instant.
‘Let’s prepare more.’
Running DeepStone after work had become routine.
Continuously trying changes.
Referencing the derived progressions.
Studying the AI’s baduk and patterns.
Today too, he would send that to bed after finishing.
“I’m home.”
“You’re back now?”
He took off his shoes and entered the entrance.
His mother and father were sitting in the living room.
“Come sit here for a moment.”
He nodded and sat on the sofa.
His mother hesitated and finally spoke.
“Mom, about that shop…… Shall we try again?”
A quiet heaviness settled in one corner of his chest.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t worried.
As much as good memories, the end hadn’t been good.
But.
‘It’s Mom’s decision.’
He wanted to respect it.
“Honestly, I’m worried.”
“I know.”
His mother lowered her head slightly.
A shadow fell over her expression.
“But, it might be better than working under someone else.”
He chose his words carefully to convey his sincere feelings.
Then he looked straight at his mother.
“Mom’s cooking skills are the best. If you start again, the regular customers might come back too, right?”
“Son.”
His mother’s eyes gradually softened.
Her expression brightened.
But he didn’t stop there.
There was still one thing he had to say.
“Just one thing, promise me this.”
“Promise?”
He took a deep breath and said clearly.
“Don’t get scammed by the landlady like before.”
His mother flinched.
Humans don’t change.
Even if now is one thing, later when things go well, it might turn around.
Because it’s a human with a track record.
He didn’t want to see that sight twice.
“If something like that happens again.”
He quietly took out his smartphone.
“This time, I won’t stay silent.”
At that time, he knew nothing.
Just after finishing military service.
During university days.
Even if his mother suffered an injustice, he couldn’t help.
But now it’s different.
He touched the smartphone screen.
Opened the bank app, entered the transfer amount.
10 million won.
He added a bit more to the remaining prize money and savings.
His mother was still looking at him, unaware of what was happening.
He felt the gaze wavering between anxiety and expectation.
Ring.
His mother’s smartphone notification rang.
“Check it.”
His mother jumped in surprise and checked the smartphone.
Soon, her two eyes shook greatly.
“What is this? Why are you giving me this money!”
“In-ha…….”
Both of them couldn’t continue speaking in surprise.
He said calmly.
“With this money, look for somewhere else, not there. If it’s not enough, let me know.”
His mother covered her mouth with her hand.
She couldn’t speak for a long time.
Her eyes were moist.
“No, In-ha. How did you…….”
He smiled slightly.
“Money. I’ll earn more if I have to.”
His mother’s eyes reddened.
She nodded silently.
At that sight, one side of his chest warmed.
At that moment.
[Congratulations! You who have extreme filial piety have satisfied the system usage conditions.]
[Talent acquisition is possible.]
[As a reward, a Platinum Roulette Ticket is issued.]
[Do you wish to use it now? (Yes or No)]
‘As expected…… it’s coming.’
With a too predictable development.
A bit dumbfounded, yet.
This timing was strangely warm.
He turned his gaze away.
His mother was still tightly gripping her smartphone, lips tightly closed.
Next to her, his father was silently hugging his mother’s shoulder.
‘……Yeah, this isn’t bad.’
After all, he would go higher.
He looked back at the system window.
[Do you wish to use the Roulette Ticket now?]
No need to hesitate.
He raised his finger and pressed Yes.
[You have used the Platinum Roulette Ticket.]
Soon, a large roulette window appeared.
‘The number of slots is small.’
It was clearly different from the diamond roulette.
Then it was thirty-six slots, but now only five.
And.
‘No guarantee of minimum talent grade.’
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed.
But.
The Roulette Ticket obtained through filial piety for his parents.
He didn’t want to divide its value by grade.
Drum drum drum.
The roulette started to spin slowly.
The sound of the heavy spinning needle echoed in his ears.
Eventually.
The roulette slowed down a bit.
Thud.
The needle stopped.
The ? mark faded, revealing the hidden talent.
◈ Cooking mastery
◈ Family recipes
‘……Korean Cuisine?’
He was momentarily taken aback.
But then, a small laugh escaped.
‘At this timing?’
Was the correction for filial piety applied?
Even though the grade was low, it was the perfect talent right now.
[The system has updated the talent ‘Korean Cuisine’.]
Memories slowly filling his mind.
Seasoning mix method.
Cooking order.
Characteristics of ingredients.
The sensation of chopping and julienning transmitted by fingertips.
It naturally seeped in as if it had been a skill ingrained in his body for a long time.
‘With this, I can help too.’
His chest felt a bit full.
It was the feeling that another thing he could do had increased.
Not someone else.
‘A talent I can use for my family.’
Just that thought warmed one side of his chest.
And.
Different from baduk.
It was the feeling of placing the precious next move in life.
******
Korea Baduk Association.
The headquarters of Korean baduk.
Institutions that manage professional baduk players, host and organize tournaments, and conduct entrance exams.
An institution that oversees all baduk-related business.
And now.
“So this is the Korea Baduk Association building.”
From the outside, it didn’t look particularly special, an old facade.
But the air flowing inside seemed different.
-Ciel Bank Cup World Masters Amateur Selection 3rd floor prelim match room.
When he entered the first floor, the LED notification board caught his eye first.
Next to it, a man wearing a name tag around his neck was sitting at the desk.
Kim Pil-ju, a staff member of the Korea Baduk Association.
“Are you a participant in the amateur selection?”
“Ah, yes.”
“What is your name?”
“Kim In-ha.”
He took out his ID and showed it.
“Confirmed. You may go up.”
He nodded and followed the stairs up.
Along the walls, photos and timelines were displayed.
The history of the Korea Baduk Association.
Famous national baduk that drew lines in baduk history.
And the historic match between human and artificial intelligence.
It was a timeline of the flow of Korean baduk, neatly organized to be easily understood at a glance.
While slowly absorbing these.
He had almost reached the third floor.
At that time.
From the corridor beyond the stairwell, a strange voice was heard.
“Hey. Did you watch Yu-na noona’s broadcast?”
“I did. That sunbae was defenseless against Mumyeong.”
He stopped walking.
The voice was youthful.
A bit high tone.
The voice owner seemed like research students.
“It’s a pro, right?”
“You wouldn’t know if you saw it?”
“I want to play it once too…… but they say connection isn’t good?”
“I guess so. Should I apply to Yu-na noona’s broadcast?”
Listening from afar, a smile escaped.
‘I’ve become pretty famous.’
That his name was mentioned like this.
It made his shoulders a bit proud.
“Um, I played it.”
A slightly lower voice.
‘Wait, I played with him?’
His ears perked up without him noticing.
“Really?”
“When?”
“On the first day I made the Mumyeong account……”
The research student boy paused for a moment and said.
“I attached it as a sub-account.”
At that moment.
An ID popped up in his mind.
‘PePe?’